Izah Azahari
There is an annual increase of some 28 kidney patients in the Sultanate, said Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health (MoH) Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin during the launch of ‘Kidney Health for All’ roadshow in conjunction with the World Kidney Day 2023.
The Brunei Dialysis and Transplant Registry (BDTR), he said, recorded 235 deaths of end-stage kidney patients in 2021, and 192 deaths in 2022.
Brunei Darussalam has among the highest rate of patients with end stage kidney disease in the world and among the main causes are diabetes and high blood pressure.
Haji Maswadi noted the MoH’s commitment to regularly ensure sufficient haemodialysis kidney treatment centres.
He said there are seven dialysis centres in the Sultanate, with four located in the Brunei-Muara District and one in each of the other districts. The permanent secretary shared that Brunei, along with the global community, actively participates in the annual World Kidney celebration to raise public awareness on kidney health, mitigate the effects of kidney disease, and address related problems. This year’s theme, ‘Kidney Health for All – Preparing for the unexpected, supporting the vulnerable’, emphasises the need to redesign the early detection of kidney disease, management and care of kidney disease to improve outcomes.
“The theme holds particular relevance for individuals suffering from kidney disease, as they belong to a vulnerable group with an elevated susceptibility to various risks.
“They face a higher likelihood of contracting infectious diseases and tend to experience the impacts of infections more severely compared to other patients,” Haji Maswadi said.
He added Brunei is fortunate as health services are accessible to all citizens and residents, while various treatments and medicines are given free compared to other countries, and haemodialysis services at the Renal Services Department of MoH also operates kidney transplant surgeries locally.
“The Department of Renal Services also promotes peritoneal dialysis services, which allow patients to perform the procedure themselves at home. According to international data, and also in Brunei Darussalam, peritoneal dialysis patients often have a longer life expectancy and experience fewer complications compared to haemodialysis patients,” said the permanent secretary. To curb the increase in the number of kidney patients, Haji Maswadi said the MoH recommends practising a healthy lifestyle, avoiding smoking or vaping, following a nutritious diet and taking medicines according to the doctor’s instructions.
The roadshow will be held in the Brunei-Muara district until today before heading to Kuala Belait on August 6; Temburong District on September 17; and Tamu Tutong, Tutong District on October 5.
The Department of Renal Services will also be organising a virtual charity run, from July 1 to 31. Registration for the run will close on May 31.
A Tiktok video competition is open to the public to encourage people to upload videos on the importance of taking care of their kidneys and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Entries will close on July 16.
